I am currently a specialist English teacher and co-ordinate a Literacy Programme in a secondary school in Staffordshire. I specialise in the support of children and adults with difficulties in literacy including dyslexia. I taught primary age students for ten years prior to this, both in Manchester and Reading. I gave Dave D a home two years ago, but would like him to tell his own tale. This book is written from Dave's perspective.

 

 

To share with you how I found my Sue, my new human Mum. Love Dave Dog.

 Hi, the name is Dave, Dave dog, the border collie; I am about 12 years old and I was taken to the Border Collie GB rescue centre in March 2012, because my old master got poorly and went in to a home for old people. He was not allowed to keep me. I was mixed up. I felt sad in the big house for dogs in little rooms and they got on my nerves all barking; it made me nervous and anxious. (I still have a fear of other dogs and sometimes worry when I see them, even in the distance. I often crouch down, watching them closely.)

 

One day a nice lady came to take me for a walk; she put my harness on and took me walking on a quiet lane away from the rescue centre field where other ladies and men walked the other dogs. She took me on a long walk in a big green field and we ran in the grass together; I had to crouch down to get under gates and it was an adventure. I felt free and happy, no longer nervous without any other dogs around.

 

Sue seemed a sad lady and I would sit on the seat next to her by the village pond and let her stroke my soft fur. She took me back each time and left me in the noisy dog house. Every day new dogs would come into the home whose master or mistress didn’t want them anymore. I hoped the nice lady would come to walk me again. She came back to walk me again and again. I always gave her my cutest Dave D smile.

 

Another day she took me for a drive in her red car; I felt so happy and she took me to see a new house without lots of noisy dogs. She still took me back to the big dogs home after though and put me back in my kennel. I didn’t see her then for a long time. I missed her very much and felt so sad.

 

 

A few days later Sue came to see me; I didn’t know she was coming and had been for a walk with another lady - off the site; the volunteers had told Sue they didn’t know where I was ………then I saw Sue, waiting for me near my kennel, looking sad; she had seen my empty room and that my harness and lead had gone, she really thought she would never see me again.

 

Sue ran to me and gave me such wonderful loves. She walked me down the country lane and she sat on that seat by the pond next to the signpost ............I jumped up next to her- as I knew she liked it when I did this…(tho little narrow benches with planks can be hard for my doggy paws to balance on……………), and she wiped her happy tears on my ears, (I didn’t mind though.)

 

 

(From Chapter One)